


little help, please

by orphan_account



Category: One Direction (Band), ziam - Fandom
Genre: Fluff, M/M, another prompt fill, attempted comedy, cant find the actual prompt though :(, i guess, imported from my tumblr
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-15
Updated: 2014-03-15
Packaged: 2018-01-15 19:45:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1317046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>See, Zayn’s just got this habit of getting himself into a bind, especially when Liam’s around.<br/>OR<br/>Three times Zayn may or may not have needed Liam’s help and one time Liam asked for some in return.</p>
            </blockquote>





	little help, please

**Author's Note:**

> [first posted under my old/abandoned tumblr handle halosandsongs. don't really want to be associated with this work anymore but it's still part of the #journey so figured i could leave it out here.]
> 
> originally posted march 2013. filling a prompt i can no longer find but it was beneath that gif of liam helping zayn out of that rubbish bin or whatever from the VMAs and it was something along the lines of "liam helping zayn with things"  
> i own nothing but my ideas and how i express them. also, this is purely fictional.

 

_one._

 

It’s quite silly really. Zayn’s finally gotten up, after absolutely  _abusing_  his alarm clock. He isn’t looking for any trouble, he just wants to take a quick shower and get ready for whatever the hell is was they’re supposed to do today. It starts fairly innocently. After throwing on a navy jumper, he begins the search for his hair dryer. He’s scoured the bathroom when he realizes he had thrown out his old one and had a new one in his storage closet (read: place where he dumps stuff). He opens the door to the fairly narrow space and does a scan from bottom to top. His eyes pick of the sheen of the new box and he reaches up to grab it. It’s all good up until he attempts walking away from the closet and back to the mirror when he’s, quite effectively, tugged back to the spot. The thought of something supernatural taking place flits through his mind before he realizes his jumper’s caught on that nail he was supposed to get fixed a couple of weeks ago. 

He’s in an awkward position and can’t quite move his arms enough to take the jumper off without tearing it entirely, and he quite likes this jumper. 

Zayn hangs there helplessly for a moment, not quite knowing what to do. A slight weight against his stomach reminds him that he’s still got his phone in his pocket.

 

"Hello?"

Liam’s voice comes through the phone, sounding hurried.

"Uh, ‘mornin Liam."

"Zayn?"

"Yeah-haven’t you got caller ID or something? Could have sworn I set a personalized ringtone for myself," Zayn begins to ramble.

"New phone, what is it?"

"Um, do you think you could come over here and help me out with something?"

There’s a pause before Liam sighs.

"Okay, I’ll be over soon. I’ll ask ‘em to pick us up there then."

Liam’s hung up before Zayn can offer his thanks and okay rude, but Zayn knows that if he had to take time out of the little they have before their day begins, he’d be a little miffed too.

 

He fiddles with his phone in the few minutes it takes Liam to get there, careful not to move around too much. He hears someone fiddle with the lock before entering and he’s suddenly very glad they all agreed to give each other spares of their keys, even if its main purpose is having your privacy thoroughly invaded.

 

"Zayn?" Liam calls.

"In here." he answers gruffly.

 

When Liam turns the corner to where Zayn is located he stops before letting out a short guffaw.

He steps closer to the door Zayn’s attached to and begins his work, wasting no time.

"How do you even manage," Liam begins, trailing off.

"I was trying to get my hairdryer," Zayn admits weakly, half laughing at himself.

"Aah, so it comes down to the quiff then?" Liam asks with a pseudo smirk.

"Doesn’t it always?" Zayn jokes. It  _doesn’t_  always actually but that’s not the stuff banter is made of.

Liam laughs properly as he finally frees Zayn of his predicament.

"Thanks, Li" Zayn says, reaching behind his back to feel for holes in the fabric.

"Yeah well," Liam says before pausing and asking "Oi, isn’t that my jumper?"

"We’ve got somewhere to be Liam, I can’t answer silly questions right now," he tries to brush Liam off, all the while knowing how ineffective his responsive was. Whatever, it’s not like Liam’s going to ask for it right now.

 

Liam only shakes his head fondly

"Just be down in 15 yeah?" he calls over his shoulder as he exited Zayn’s flat.

 

And that Liam’s a real gem isn’t he?

 

 

_two._

 

It’s a Thursday, and coincidentally one of their few days off. Zayn had rolled out of bed not too long ago, knowing he had laundry to do. Now he’s lounging on his couch, very much aware that he’s not doing what he had set out to do and that he can’t just keep buying new clothes. Well he could, but that wouldn’t be too smart would it?

  
With a heaving sigh he slowly tumbles off of the couch and onto the floor, lingering there for a moment before rolling himself onto his hands and knees,  standing up.  
He could have been a sloth in a past life, he thinks absently as he pads over to his bedroom. His bed looks incredibly inviting but instead of jumping into its embrace he leans down to pick up formerly discarded clothes off of the floor.

  
After a half hour of half hearted gathering he starts sorting and okay laundry actually sucks.

  
Though he’s done fuck all, his eyes droop as he loads the last batch of clothes. Tossing handfuls of fabric into the machine, he pauses at a particular shirt. Zayn rolls his eyes at the white tee with the small pocket, Louis must have left it over. Throwing the last article in, he shuts the door of the machine and ambles over to the couch. He’s sat no more than a minute when his phone buzzes on the clear table near him.

  
He grunts with the effort of pushing himself off the couch as he grabs the phone and watches it light up.

 

**6:21pm**  
**From: Batman**

**coke or fanta. Stppin at d corshop b4 I come ova**

 

After the self reminder not to leave his phone around Liam, Zayn wonders what on earth Liam could be talking about. Once he remembers that they had planned to hang out that evening he can’t curse himself enough for doing laundry alone when he could have totally gotten Liam to do it while he sat on the drier and looked smoldering or whatever it was people said he usually looked like.

He fires back an approving text with excessive ‘x’s before unlocking the door so Liam wouldn’t have to fish out his key. Zayn’s giving, he really is. Liam enters the flat a few minutes later, holding a bottle of Coke under one arm and Fanta under the other.

 

"You never answered," are the first words Liam says. 

 

And even though Zayn deserves a much better greeting than that,  he doesn’t get hung up on it. “What? I totally did.”

 

Liam frowns in mock disapproval, setting the bottle down before retrieving his cellular from his back pocket. Zayn watches as Liam’s  forehead creases before he’s shoving his phone in Zayn’s face with a ‘see?’

 

Zayn reads the text

 

_6:22pm_

_From: Bradford BB_

 

_k c u soon xxxx_

 

Huh. He didn’t answer after all. Zayn shrugs unapologetically and Liam quirks an eyebrow before giving Zayn a shove and settling himself on the couch.

 

Their lazy COD playing is interrupted by the beeping of Zayn’s washer. He groans unnecessarily before hauling himself up to go throw the clothes in the dryer. He stomps his feet as he makes his way over and tugs the door open.

 

The sight before him has his him cursing rather loudly.

 

"Oh fucking hell-are you kidding me?!" he exclaims.

 

His ears vaguely register footsteps and then Liam’s beside him, holding a hand to his mouth to stifle his laugh.

 

"Oh my God, man" Liam manages. "Why is everything pink?"

 

As if Zayn knows. Zayn turns to Liam and gives him a withering glare. Liam clearly still finds the situation hilarious but he puts his laughter on hiatus on account of Zayn looking like he’s going to pop a vein. 

 

Zayn’s already hauling the clothes out, setting them on the nearby ironing board he hardly uses. He’s only got about half of his new rosy wardrobe when he spots the culprit, a red Adidas sock. And right behind it, Louis’ tshirt. He groans again and Liam peers over his shoulder.

 

"Oh, mate" Liam says sympathetically.

 

It’s not like Louis’ particularly attached to the shirt but Zayn would never hear the end of it if Lou found out. 

 

Zayn senses movement behind him and turns to find Liam throwing the clothes into a large bucket that Zayn doesn’t remember buying. 

 

Liam seems to sense Zayn’s eyes on him because he looks up and offers a small smile before raising his caterpillar brows at him.

 

"Well? C’mon then." 

 

Zayn doesn’t quite know what’s going on but he wastes no time helping out. When the clothes are all in the bucket, Liam straightens his back and sighs, Zayn following suit.

 

"Alright, you should probably go turn off the PS3. I’ll take care of this."

 

Zayn pauses, looking at Liam skeptically, before nodding and heading back out into the sitting room.

 

When he returns Liam’s filled the bucket with some sort of magical liquid that seems to be lifting the pink right off. Liam turns to him.

 

"Bleach," he mutters in response to Zayn’s awed expression.

 

Zayn pauses before he speaks “I’ve got bleach in here?”

 

Liam’s head drops with a snort. “Yeah, sometimes we bring stuff over for you since you’re shit at doing that stuff yourself.”

 

Zayn stops to ponder about the way his fridge is always mysteriously full. Liam laughs again, eyes squinting and Zayn feels like a right git but Liam’s laughing so he guesses it’s okay.

 

 

_three._

 

They’re shooting a video promo thing for VMAs, and they’re all kind of messing around.They’re vaguely aware of cameras pointed at them but nowadays that’s pretty much the norm so they don’t pay it much mind. Louis says something that Zayn doesn’t quite hear and Niall barks out a laugh and throws his head back, Zayn doesn’t really know what’s so funny but he starts laughing too and then he’s falling back and encased in some sort of cylinder, he thinks it may be a rubbish bin maybe. He stops for a moment, stunned. And then he’s laughing again and he just lies back in it. 

 

"He’s stuck! He’s in a bit of a predicament," He hears Liam address the camera before the boy comes up behind where Zayn is on the floor.

 

Zayn doesn’t think he’s quite stuck, he could probably get out of it himself, when the laughter bubbling in his chest subsides. 

 

"No, I’m not stuck!" he protests but he still grips on Liam’s forearms and allows the boy to hoist him up. When he’s out, Liam walks ahead of him, laughing openly and even directing a joyful grin to the camera. Zayn tries to keep his head down but he’s smiling widely as well.

 

Later, when Harry and Niall are reenacting the fiasco, Harry playing a distressed Zayn enthusiastically, Louis pokes him in the side and asks if Zayn does these things on purpose, just to get Liam’s attention. Zayn laughs a little, calls Louis a prick and pushes him in what he hopes is interpreted as a playful manner. Louis only raises an eyebrow.

 

"Don’t worry, he likes being your saviour just as much Zaynie." 

 

And okay, whatever.

 

 

_and one._

 

Zayn’s knackered even though their day isn’t even close to being over. Liam’s new close shaven haircut (and his new post-Dani attitude) isn’t that new to them anymore but it’s still pretty fresh to the world so they play it up on camera-the hair. The other boys pat Liam’s head, and ruffle it-well as much as they can when it’s that short. Liam smiles and shies away from their hands.

 

And then Zayn lays a hand on the boy’s head, moving it forward and back softly. Liam doesn’t noticeably push into the touch or anything, but he doesn’t pull away either and that’s enough for Louis to send Zayn a meaningful look-with wagging eyebrows of course- when the camera stops rolling.

 

Zayn pointedly ignores him and shoves his hands in his pockets because whatever, Louis doesn’t know anything anyway.

 

They’re supposed to have some sort of radio after this for a local station and they finished a bit early so they’ve got about 20 minutes to loaft around before the people from the station get there. 

 

Louis makes to approach him and Zayn would really rather not talk about whatever Louis was determined to so he takes a detour on his path and disappears down a hallway. He considers going out for a smoke but he’s really not in the mood for disapproving looks and overly eager fans, and he isn’t even craving one so much so he just nods at one of the security before entering an empty green room to rest his tired eyes. There’s a little nook with a few throw-pillows and Zayn subconsciously hums his approval. 

 

He’s drifting into something like rest when he senses a figure looming over him, said figure stays standing over him for some time, making no sound except for breathing. His heart rate increases, keeping his eyes closed and thinking of a course of action to escape whatever serial killer is watching him sleep. Maybe he shouldn’t have checked out that Criminal Minds show after all because the memories only send more terror flooding through him. 

 

Before he can do anything drastic though, he hers a voice say his name.

 

"Zayn?"

 

And it’s Liam-of course it’s Liam, he’d know that voice anywhere. Zayn blinks his eyes open, hoping not to somehow give away the fact that he had been awake for a while and thought that Liam might have been a crazed fan turned killer. 

 

"Yeah?" he finally answers.

 

"Oh uh-" Liam starts "I just didn’t know where you were. And then Louis said I should look for you just in case you needed me or something."

 

Zayn’s eyes squint fractionally at Liam’s reddened cheeks and his sudden bashfulness. He thinks maybe Louis said a little more than that.

 

Zayn swings his legs over the edge of the nook and stands up. Liam seemingly startles a bit then steps back.

 

He yawns into the crook of his elbow and peers over them at Liam. The boy is watching him but still hasn’t said anything. It’s a bit unnerving.

 

Then all at once, Liam’s face becomes more determined and he begins to speak, looking somewhere behind Zayn.

 

"Alright, I’ll just say it then um-okay I actually don’t know how to-" he stops his sentence and fixes Zayn a disarmingly sincere look. "Okay I’m kind of going to need your help here so just-"

 

Liam doesn’t reach the end of his sentence before Zayn is nodding. It isn’t a very eager one, but enough for Liam to know he has Zayn’s full cooperation.

 

The other boy seems to startle again before flexing his fingers and then rushing into Zayn’s space. It’s only about two steps but they’re evidently significant. Liam’s there and he just pauses, breathing through slightly parted lips, still not making eye contact with him but letting his gaze linger on the other boy’s mouth. It’s incredibly still and the air feels thick.

Zayn’s had about enough and leans forward just enough for lips to brush gently before pulling back. He holds his breath and waits for a reaction.

 

To his immense relief, Liam breaks into a grin and lets out a sharp, breathy laugh. He leans down and buries his face between Zayn’s shoulder and neck. He breathes what sounds like an ‘oh my days’ into Zayn’s skin.

 

They stay that way for a few moments before Liam lifts his head up and finally looks him in the eye. 

 

"Thanks," he says.

 

Zayn is momentarily equal parts indignant and confused but then he gets it and smiles back.

 

"Yeah, no problem," he replies and it sounds alarmingly idiotic even to his own ears but Liam’s eyes hold mirth and a silent ‘we’ll talk about this later yeah?’ so he remains silent as the other boy exits the room.

 

 

And yeah, Zayn’s glad to help.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> if you got this far, here's a personal thank you from me and a cyber hug too. on tumblr at halosandsongs. 
> 
> read on for excessive commentary from 2013!me.
> 
> This prompt kind of got away from me…sorry.
> 
> I never thought i’d write one of these, this is my first. No beta so I am solely to blame for all errors. There are probably many of them as i am quite the lazy editor.
> 
> And yeah, i dont really know how Zayn ended up in that bin thing (was it even a bin?) and i didnt care enough to try and find out, so pardon my bullshit explanation. I didnt mention Perrie bc i dont know if they were official in the time that i imagined this to be and i honestly didn’t feel like it ngl. I really dont know much about 1Ds life tbh, every detail here could be off (apart from the obvious fictional part). That’s kind of why i like to do AUs. 
> 
> Also i will forever refer to them as boys. i dont think i’ll refer to any of them as ‘the man’ anytime soon, feels too weird
> 
> Sorry it’s so shit, but thanks for reading :D


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